The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote this week on the Lower Food and Fuels Costs Act, a legislative package that includes funding for biofuel infrastructure and a provision to allow year-round sales of E15.

The bill, H.R. 7606, authorizes $200 million for fiscal years 2022 and 2023 to support biofuel infrastructure upgrades. The funding would be distributed in the form of competitive grants to support the installation, retrofit, or upgrade of fuel dispensers and pumps and related equipment, storage tank system components, and other infrastructure needed at a fuel station to supply fuel blends that contain more than 10 percent ethanol or 20 percent biodiesel.

The infrastructure funding could also support biofuel infrastructure for fuel distribution systems, terminal upgrades, including rail lines, and home heating oil distribution centers.  

In addition, the legislation would extend the Reid vapor pressure (RVP) waiver to fuel blends containing more than 10 percent ethanol, including E15, creating a permanent legislative fix for year-round E15 sales in 2023 and beyond. The Biden administration on April 29 issued an emergency waiver allowing E15 sales to continue during the summer 2022 driving season in an effort to bring down high fuel prices. That waiver, however, applies to the summer 2022 driving season only.

The House Committee on Rules was scheduled to address H.R. 7606 during a Jan. 13 meeting. Additional information is available on the committee website.